Kenneth Branagh On Thor

There’s an exclusive interview with Thor director Kenneth Branagh in the new issue of SFX . Here’s an extract

“It was difficult, yeah. We wanted ancient and modern, and we wanted materials, textures, and colours to feel as though they could be technologically advanced – the Asgardians needed to feel as though they run the universe, and they have technology that we can barely comprehend – and yet what they gave us is this sort of Viking iconography: horned helmets, tunics, the architecture of thrones and halls, etc – that the myths and the comics suggest is because the Asgardians came down and gave all that to the Vikings, rather than the other way around. So combining the primal and the sophisticated was the goal at all times.”

He also reveals that he was instrumental in making sure there was an Earth aspect to the film:

“They sent me a script which was purely set in the Viking era. I said, ‘Well, I think there should be an element in the film version of this story that’s on contemporary Earth. The comics do it, and I think it would work.’ Once that conversation started, there was a sort of natural development. It also became about the story of a troubled central character, and became the story of a family. And it also became about a sort of romantic journey as well. All of those things sort of weave their way into lots of other things I’ve done as well, and then suddenly it seemed quite natural.”

Read the full interview in SFX 208 , on sale now.

Dave is a TV and film journalist who specializes in the science fiction and fantasy genres. He's written books about film posters and post-apocalypses, alongside writing for SFX Magazine for many years.